VVVVVV

VVVVVV (pronounced as "The Letter V Six Times" or "V's") is a 2D side-scrolling platform puzzle game released for the Nintendo eShop. The game was originally released for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X (via the Mac App Store), and has since seen releases on many other platforms. It was released December 29, 2011 in North America and May 10, 2012 in Europe.[1]

Contents

Gameplay

The player controls the protagonist, Captain Viridian, who is searching for his missing crew members in an alternate dimension, Dimension VVVVVV. Captain Viridian's other objective is to find the source of the dimensional interference. The graphical style of VVVVVV was heavily inspired by the Commodore 64.

In the game, the player cannot jump, but instead can reverse the direction of gravity when standing on a surface to cause him to fall upwards or downwards. The player must use this mechanic to avoid obstacles such as pits and spikes. The game later introduces new mechanics like moving floors and rooms. The game is composed of eight levels inside a larger world to explore. Due to the extremely high difficultly, the game has many checkpoints scattered around.

Reception

The game has received positive reviews from critics. Destructoid gave it a 9.5, saying "The game's design is immaculate, playing a bit like a cross between Metroid and Super Meat Boy. It works hard to be as non-linear as possible, and it never relies on the same ideas for too long, which keeps the excitement coming at a steady pace." [2]

Nintendo World Report gave it a 90, reason being "VVVVVV is a spectacular game, and while the 3DS version is a little pricier compared to other available options, it's well worth it if you've never played the game before or want it on the go." [3] Nintendo Life gives it an 80, saying "It's hard to believe that such a simple concept as flipping gravity can prove to be so enthralling, but given the game's incredibly diverse level designs, it's no wonder it's so difficult to put down." [4]

IGN gave it a 75, stating "As it is, VVVVVV is still a spike-lined, death-packed good time. Its steeper price and wimpy 3D just make it feel like more of a straightforward PC port and less like something truly special for the eShop." [5]